Victoria's native timber logging communities shocked by acceleration of industry's end

The budget announcement has rocked Victorian timber communities. (ABC News: Richard Willingham)

The decision to end native timber logging was meant to bring certainty to Victoria's timber towns. But for the people living in those communities, the decision to shut down the industry by the end of the year has raised more questions than it has answered.

In the past year, several timber mills have stopped operating or closed and in the past six months the state's only paper mill stopped producing white paper.